Middle of Nowhere
by x3sunnydaay
Summary: Amelia finally got everything she hoped for and more. All it took was one day to lose everything all over again. Will she find herself lost again or will a certain pilot help pick up the pieces? RaleighxOC ChuckxOC
1. Anchorage

EDIT:

I rewrote a little bit of this story. I finally got a computer and some time. I also got Grammarly to help with some of the writing. Hopefully, it allows this story to read better than what I typed on my iPhone.

Let me know what you think or if I should continue the story.

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So it's been quite some time since I've attempted to write a story. I have an idea, but I have to get a little back story out before I get into the movie storyline. Please give me tons of feedback. Some know which direction to go with this. I hope you enjoy it!

Stepping outside the shatterdome always brought chills to Amelia. Wrapping the stolen Gypsy Danger jacket tighter, she finally felt her time outside the base was enough when the cold Alaskan air whipped around her. She made her way inside to the hangers, where she knew he would be.

As she walked through the winding halls, Amelia contemplated her life and how she arrived in Alaska.

Her thoughts faded to her parents. She had dreams of her mother. She bravely raised Amelia with the aid of Amelia's grandmother and the father who abandoned her before she was born. She grew up in a small town near New York City. Amelia thinks back to the time she spent with her grandmother in the bustling cities. She would tell Amelia stories of the great Pacific Northwest and the peace she found there among the forest.

While Amelia was in school, her mother and grandmother had visited family and friends in San Francisco. It was then when her world fell apart. Her school was put on lockdown when the first Kaiju attacked the west coast. All the children left one by one as their parents picked them up; Amelia being the last. Her teacher, Ms. Perry, took her home for the night until child services arrived. Amelia was thirteen and thrown in a foster system that bounced her around all over the east coast. When she finally turned 18 and was forced to fend for herself, she had enough money saved to buy her a one-way ticket anywhere in the US.

After everything that happened, Amelia felt the Pacific Northwest was too close to where she lost the last of her family. Going through the few belongings of her mother and grandmother, she found an old postcard.

The postcard was simple — a mountain background with a small city covering the base. Amelia flipped the card over where three words gave her all the direction she needed.

"WELCOME TO ANCHORAGE"

Amelia immediately bought the first one-way ticket to Alaska. She was ready to get away from her past. But Amelia wasn't sure where or what to do. All she wanted was the furthest she could go on her little budget. It the best plan she had at the moment, and she ran with it.

When Amelia arrived at Anchorage International airport, she realized her first order of business was to find somewhere to sleep for the night. In the morning, the first task would be to find work. She found a small inn down the road and was able to get a room for a few days. Using the last of her resources for the temporary housing, she knew getting a job would be significantly high on her priority list. After finally getting settled into her room and taking a long hot shower, Amelia was able to relax and finally get some shut-eye.

When Amelia woke the next day, she went and grabbed a newspaper and a tourist map from the main office. She went back to her room and looked through some of the classifieds. Not finding much, Amelia looked at the time and realized it was eleven in the morning. The lunch shift would start, so she immediately got dressed in the one pair of black pants she owned, a couple of scuffed-up warm boots, and a long-sleeved beige sweater that saw better days. Amelia got her coat on and put job-hunting into overdrive. Heading out towards the small town, she looked for any restaurants or bars that may need help serving. She didn't have much experience, so she needed something entry-level. Servers usually walked home with tips at the end of the night so that it couldn't be so bad.

She walked into the first restaurant at the beginning of the street. She went up to the hostess and noticed the petite blonde looked quite bored.

"Hi, my name is Amelia, and I was hoping to speak with a manager?"

The small blonde with the name tag DONNA looked at Amelia up and down. Amelia being very tall with an athletic build, felt scrutinized by the eyes of this small woman.

"What for?" DONNA seemed quite perturbed. Amelia interrupted her doodling.

Amelia responded, "I recently just moved here and was looking for some work. I was hoping there was availability in this restaurant."

Donna laughed at this, and Amelia perked an eyebrow.

"I don't see how that's funny. Look, is there a manager around or not? I simply want an opportunity for some work."

Donna's look sharpened and zeroed in on Amelia's blue eyes.

"I'm the manager, and this is my restaurant with my family. I'm not interested in hiring some stranger from the lower States who thinks she might be entitled to a job because she's not from around here. We have a sense of class here, and that's not something you have, " Donna glanced down at the beat-up boots Amelia wore on her feet and holey sweater. "Go find the dive bars down the road. They might have lower standards." Donna retreated into the restaurant, leaving Amelia floored at the hostility.

Amelia walked out and took a deep breath feeling defeated. 'This is unreal. The whole town can't be like this. Keep going to the other shops, gotta catch a break somewhere.'

Amelia continued down the shopping strip and stopped in clothing stores, more restaurants, and even offered to clean bathrooms. Although she didn't have the same hostility going through the other locations as she did the first one, she sensed the close-knit relationships of the town. She was getting antsy as the evening quickly approached, and the weather dropped a few extra degrees.

When she made her way to the end of the road with only a few bars left, Amelia gasped when she finally looked up behind the small buildings on the strip. She never saw one in person, only saw the large metal buildings on television or in the paper. The sheer size of it was overwhelming standing before it. She got so wrapped up in the architectural beauty of the shatterdome she jumped when the bar door to her right swung open and hit the wall. Watching a frustrated man walk away from the building made her hesitant about going in. She looked up at the sign, 'The Billy Goat.' Amelia was a little confused. 'Such an odd name for a bar in Alaska' With a glance back at the massive building, she went to the dingy bar with the missing front lights hoping to find some type of work for a little income.

Sketchy was an understatement. Walking into a cloud of smoke with minimal lighting, Amelia passed the dusty, unused pool table and made her way to the bar. Glancing around, she saw one patron slumped on the bartop either sleeping or passed out and an older man with salt and pepper hair and a thick burly mustache reading the newspaper in a corner booth smoking a cigar. A small glow from the overhead lighting gave the older man with the cigar a very mobster look while he sat quietly. Amelia figured her chance for an answer would be better suited for the conscious man than the one sleeping off his drinks.

Amelia took a deep breath and walked to the corner booth.

"Excuse me, sir,"

He quickly interrupted without looking up from his paper, "I don't need teenagers in this bar, find the door and leave."

An overly frustrated Amelia had enough with everyone's attitude and the constant shutting down of opportunities.

"If you bothered looking up from ya paper, ya would see I'm no teenager. I'm lookin' for a job, and I'd like to speak to someone in charge. So if ya can point me to the right person instead of wasting my time just like everyone else on this strip did to me all day, I would greatly appreciate it."

Amelia had enough. She didn't even reserve her New York Accent. She was exhausted and pissed her whole day was wasted by people who didn't want to give her the time.

The burly older man puffed the cigar in his hands. It filled the air with smoke. He put his paper down and came out of the booth. For a moment, Amelia had a rush of fear when the man reached his full height. He had to be 6'5" at least. Amelia being a tall girl reaching almost 6' herself with some weight to her, usually isn't very intimidated, but this man, he made her feel small. She felt like the ant and him the boot.

Amelia took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and lifted her chin.

The man looked down at her and chuckled.

"I like ya, girl. Ya got spunk. What's ya name? Where ya from?"

Amelia sighed, not liking where this was going. "Amelia, New York, sir,"

Nodding with a small smile, he walked pass Amelia and behind the bar. He waved his hand and ushered her to sit while he went into this room behind the bar. Amelia took in her surroundings. The walls were dark wood. The shelves above the bar were dusty, and the tv looked like it was from the 1980s. 'Feels like a time capsule here' Amelia was tossed out of her thoughts when she heard some shuffling of boxes and then a sudden shutting of a door. A feeling of dread ran through Amelia, and immediately all horror movies she ever watched flashed through her mind. 'Shit, this is it, I'm gonna die here, and no one will know.'

While Looking at the exits for a quick getaway, Amelia saw the burly man come through the door with a few sodas, water, and a coffee.

"You're not 21. Not sure what you might like, but here are some options."

Amelia felt safe with the water, so she grabbed the bottle and put it in front of her. The burly man watched the choice of her beverage and took the coffee she didn't pick up. He came around the bar and sat next to her. He looked at her up and down. Amelia felt like a piece of meat. As she pushed back the barstool, he spoke.

"If you're under 18, I can't hire ya. Legality and all that."

"I'm 18, sir," she quickly responded, not sure if it was a good thing or bad thing.

"You look like you can handle yourself. But would you be able to handle a few old drunks and some youngin's that come in from the 'dome?"

"Absolutely," Amelia immediately thinks back to all the scuffles she got into when she was bouncing from home to home. Sometimes she even had to separate the smaller kids from senseless fighting.

"Gotta have thick skin if you're gonna work here. I don't need any princesses comin' in here cryin' and runnin' at the first few words some drunk asshole says."

"I understand completely." Amelia nodded quickly.

"I got one more rule. No boyfriends in my bar, got it? I don't need any unnecessary drama."

"Totally single, sir, nothing to worry about here," Amelia said urgently.

"Ahh, stop with the 'sir' stuff. Call me Tom" Amelia hesitated at being so casual with a boss.

"You got it, Mr. Tom." Tom rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "You start tomorrow. And if anyone asks you're 21, got it? S'posed to be of age to be servin' the hard stuff. But frankly, I don't care all that much. I haven't had anyone wanna work here in years!" Tom got up and went into the back room.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Tom! You won't be disappointed!"

When Amelia went running out of the bar, she went flying out the door only to hit something hard and land on something incredibly soft... preferably someone.

"Ooof" "Shit!"

Amelia looked up with red curls falling into her eyesight only to look into eyes that matched the ocean. Coming to her senses, she jumped up to help the blue-eyed man to his feet. Amelia dusted him off out of embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see where I was going! Are you okay?!" 'Please be okay because I can't afford it if you're injured.' Her eyes caught him, and she suddenly stopped the dusting.

"Yeah, I'm fine" The man with blue eyes couldn't stop staring at the redhead with green eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I had a little cushion to soften the blow," Amelia tried to make light of the situation but felt like he was scrutinizing her with his gaze. 'Great, he's probably still trying to breathe right. You probably knocked with wind outta him, Lia'

"Raleigh! What are you doing? We only have time for one beer before training!" They both turned towards another blonde man who addressed the man before her. Amelia noted they looked alike, possibly brothers.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before." Amelia's attention returned to the man.

"You haven't." Came Amelia's lame reply.

"Raleigh! Let's go!" The man called Raleigh laughs.

"In case you haven't figured out yet, I'm Raleigh." He stuck out his hand for her to shake.

Amelia glances at his hand but shakes it hesitantly. "Amelia."

"Well, Amelia, I hope to see you around." With a wink, Raleigh turned towards the bar she just left.

Amelia was trying to get over the initial shock of the interaction. She glanced up at the 'Billy Goat' Sign and took a deep breath.

'Here's to new beginnings.' She thought.


	2. Humble Home

**This chapter has been edited with Grammarly.

Disclaimer: Amelia, Tom, and characters from bar are all mine.

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It's been two weeks since Amelia started working at _The Billy Goat_. She took the initiative to clean the bar and revamp the darkness.

When Amelia initially wiped the first layer of grime off, she discovered the walls were a light forest green color. She noticed the color was still a little dingy and decided a fresh coat of paint would help brighten the place up. Amelia ran to the local hardware store to pick up some necessities. While she was picking up the paint cans, she noticed the store had some light bulbs and wood polish among some cleaning supplies. Amelia picked up some rags, rollers, brushes, and paint trays. She fluttered around the store, making sure she had everything that was needed before she headed back to the bar.

Amelia had been enjoying her day walking down the small shopping strip and was called for one last stop as she passed a small bakery. She walked in and took a deep breath of all the homemade goods. Amelia decidedly picked up some apple turnovers and a little pie. When Amelia walked out of the bakery, she heard alarms.

The sudden blaring of the loud, obnoxious noise turned the blood in her veins cold. Those alarms only meant one thing.

Kaiju.

She ran to the bar and burst through the doors calling out for her boss. The large man came running out from the backroom, wondering why the girl was so panicked.

"Mr. T! We have to go! Those are Kaiju alarms!"

Tom looked relieved. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Girl, that ain't for us! They're sendin' out the Jaeger to go battle one of those alien bastards! Trust me, if we were in some type of trouble, you'd know!"

Amelia tried to relax and looked out the dusty windows for any sign of attack. When the alarms stopped, she decided to calm herself. She looked at Tom only to find he returned to the back room. Amelia discovered Tom had a small space with a television and an old sofa chair that looked older than her. He tucked away most of the day, and she usually left him sleeping there when she closed the bar down. She followed him to his little tucked away chair and put down the baked goods on the small table next to his chair.

"Grabbed some snacks for ya." She told him as she made a fresh pot of coffee.

"You're the best, Lia." Amelia gave a small smile and turned to continue her clean up of the bar. Even though it's only been two weeks, the man has grown on her. Tom even let her rent out the space above the bar, so she didn't have to rent that dirty hotel room.

Amelia quickly learned that not many regular patrons came to the bar. There was Bob, who usually slept on the counter. He went after a shift from working on the Jaegers. She kept a small conversation with him, learning that his wife cheated on him, took the house, and everything he owned. He had a small one-room studio he avoided. He came to the bar to have his beer and shot of whatever his change can afford until he passed out. Then there was Eddy- he occasionally came in for whiskey on the rocks after working at the restaurant. He kept to himself and didn't speak much outside of a small thank you before he left. Mike was a young man around her age. He always had the latest neighborhood gossip and quickly made friends with Amelia. Mike was Tom's nephew. Mike lost both parents from a Kaiju attack when he was a young boy. Tom took him in, and he would occasionally work the bar in the evenings after his shift programming the Jaegers.

Outside of the few regulars, the constant flow of Jaeger pilots kept the bar going. Amelia had wondered how such a place would still stay in business—Then 6 pm arrived. Exactly fifteen minutes after six, the door would burst open, and a wave of Jaeger pilots and workers would come bustling through. People would fill the booths once they got their drinks at the bar and would sit and relax. By 10:45 pm, the bar would slowly empty, and everyone slowly left to return to their bunkers in time for curfew.

The amount of money the few hours brought in had eliminated any doubt or question on why the bar was still open. After two weeks, Amelia had been working. The bar looked different.

"Amazing what a little paint and elbow grease can do. Looks good, kid." Tom placed his hand on Amelia's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. He walked around, collecting empty beer bottles and glasses from the now empty tables. "I'm gonna head home now. You okay to lock up?"

"Yeah, no worries, Mr. T. I got it."

"Just remember to lock up behind me," Tom gave Amelia a pointed look.

"I'll lock the door as soon as I get the garbage." She tried to wave him off and put his worries at ease.

Amelia got a bucket of water and cleaning solution and began to wipe down the bar and tables. She almost finished sweeping the small debris from the floor when the familiar bells of the front door caught her attention.

A hooded figure came in, dusted the snow off the jacket they were wearing, and wiped their feet at the door before sauntering to the bar.

"Can I get ya something? We're about closed." Amelia put a napkin on the table and tried to get a better view under the hood.

He finally looked up and took his hood down.

"Hey stranger, yeah, I'll take whatever you have on tap" It was him, the guy she tackled when she got the job. She was surprised to see him again.

"Sure," She grabbed a frosted glass and tipped it under the spout. She was feeling at a loss for any type of conversation with the man behind her. She turned to give him his drink only to find him trying to turn on the broken television hanging in the corner.

"It doesn't work. I've tried new cables and outlets. I think the antenna is fried." She walked over to the table next to the broken contraption. Amelia placed his beer on the table and sat down-finally, relieving her aching feet of the day's stress.

"I can fix that," With ease, he brought the small television down. "Got any tools by chance?"

Amelia looked hesitantly at Raleigh-not, believing he could fix it.

"Yeah, I think I have some in the back," Amelia turned and left Raleigh fiddling with the dusty broken tv. She went into the back room and started shuffling around some boxes on the shelves. She's been so busy with the front of the house that there wasn't a chance to organize the back room. She was able to work the new beer and liquor out, but the broken boxes covered in dust and papers fell to the bottom of her To-Do list.

She started shuffling through some boxes when a tower of papers knocked over into a cup of screws. The unstable stack sent all the screws and the hammer to the floor. Amelia sighed deeply at the loud, obnoxious noise. Raleigh came running to the back.

"Are you okay?!" Looking frantically around for the source of the sound.

"Yeeeeeahhh, this place is a mess. I sometimes feel like I don't have enough time in the day." Amelia walked over to the mess and began to scoop up all the scattered screws. Raleigh walked over with a broom and pushed whatever he could into a pile.

"Well, instead of going crazy tonight, I can come back early tomorrow to fix that tv." He glanced at her to see her reaction.

"You don't have to; I'm sure you're busy working." She tried to decline, unsure of what was happening. She walked to the garbage can she had in front of the bar. Raleigh followed her and picked up his abandoned beer.

"My schedule is more than clear. I'll bring the tools. No need to worry." He downed his beer and reached into his pocket to pull out a few dollars. He put the currency on the bar and gave Amelia a quick wink before picking his coat up.

"What time will you be in tomorrow?" He asked as he put his arms through the sleeves.

"I kinda won't leave, I'm staying in the rooms upstairs." He gave her a quick look, and Amelia couldn't quite put her fingers on what was going through his mind.

"Really? Old Tommy finally gave up that space?" He looked shocked.

"I must have something about me he couldn't deny" Amelia tried laughing it off and gave Raleigh a smile showing dimples in her cheeks.

"Yeah, must be something." He looked at her, and an awkward silence fell over the two, and Amelia couldn't take it. "So I'll see you tomorrow?"

Raleigh seemed to snap out of his little daze. "Bright and early. I'll ring your bell."

"Sounds like a plan." With that, he disappeared through the door.

Amelia was skeptical of the small interactions she's been having with him. She wasn't sure what his intentions were but definitely will keep at arm's length.

Grabbing the few garbage bags and throwing them out on the curb, Amelia finally locked the door and shut all the lights off. She made her way to the back room, where the stairs to her apartment sat. She shut the last lights off and made her way to a warm shower and her soft bed.

 _Tomorrow is going to be a long day._

It was early morning when Amelia woke to a banging sound. She couldn't understand where the noise started. Amelia finally got out of bed when light thumping padded on her window. She went over to find small sugar packs sitting on the window ledge. Amelia opened the window and picked one up, confused. She looked out to see her late-night visitor holding a couple of cups of coffee.

"I hope you have more sugar because used all the packs trying to wake you up." Raleigh stood there, looking up at her with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Hold on! Stay right there!" Amelia ran to find pants and her sweater before grabbing her keys. She ran down the stairs giving herself a glance in the mirror behind the bar. With a quick comb of her hands through her hair and a few pinches of her cheeks, she steadied her breath to open the door finally.

"I'll be honest; I thought you were bullshitting me when you said bright and early."

Raleigh laughed and passed her a cup of coffee. "I'm true to my word. I at least bring some pick-me-ups."

"That you do. Much appreciated," Amelia responded while she took a sip. "So, what kind of operation are you performing on my retro-television?"

Amelia watched Raleigh unscrew the back of the television. She got up to move closer to see him pull out a motherboard. He tinkered around with a skinny screwdriver. He noticed she moved closer to him, and he tilted his hands so she can see.

"Sometimes, the old stuff just needs a little pick-me-up too." He picked up a small fuse and snapped it into the board. He popped the back into place and screwed the board back into the tv.

"Would you like the honors?" He gestured to her to turned on the tv. She looked at him and pressed the old button. Much to her shock, it came alive. The static was no longer there, and clear images of the news rolled across the screen. Floored he got the thing to work, she jumped in excitement and wrapped her arms in a hug around Raleigh. Surprised by the reaction, he laughed softly and returned the hug. Once Amelia realized what she was doing, she jumped back and muttered a quick apology.

"Sorry, I'm just overly excited. It gets boring here when there's no company around. Now I have some entertainment. Although it's looking like I have a total of only three channels," Amelia fiddles with the old tv trying to get a little more service. Raleigh looked at her and felt something click when she said how bored she was around the bar.

Raleigh put the tv back up on the mounts. "You know, I can come by more often if you'd like. Help you fix the place up, maybe show you around town some. I can even get you into the shatterdome and show you some fancy stuff."

"I'd like that a lot. It's been quite a rough transition to come up here." Amelia turned back to grab her forgotten coffee. She sat down, trying to absorb whatever heat remained in the plastic cup.

"You never told me where you were from and how you got here." Raleigh sat down across from her.

"That's quite a long story. I don't want to bore you with the details." She quietly responded while sipping the coffee.

"Somehow, I don't think I can ever be bored with you." he looked at Amelia with a face voided of any amusement. She looked at his face reading the seriousness he had placed on it. She was taken back by his forward attitude.

"Well, might as well go get comfortable. Come on, follow me." Amelia got up and grabbed her keys. Raleigh collected the coffee cups and made to follow her. They walked through the dark backroom to a narrow wooden staircase in the corner.

"This isn't where you kill me, is it?" Raleigh tried to make small talk while carefully stopping on the creaking stairs.

"You know, that's the exact reaction I had the first time I came back here." she glanced back at him. He finally looked up from the wood beneath his feet and met her eyes. He saw the humor in her face as she continued up the stairs.

He couldn't help but look directly along her body. Since she was in front of him going up the stairs first, his face leveled with her backside, and Raleigh realized he felt instantly hypnotized. She suddenly stopped and played with her keys. The door opened to a loft with rays of sunshine coming through the many windows. She had a large bed and a dresser on one side of the room. There was a small privacy panel and then a small couch and coffee table. Next to the sitting area was a small kitchen table with two chairs. The kitchen area had a small countertop for a toaster and coffee pot and an average-sized fridge next to a small stove and an over-the-range microwave.

Raleigh looked around and noticed the walls were a soft pastel yellow, and the many windows had a sheer white curtain layered under a heavy black curtain. Her space was warm and homey.

"I never would've thought something like this was above the bar." Raleigh continued to look around with amazement. "How long have you been here?"

"About two weeks now. I've been busting my ass to get this right. Considering all the things that sat here, the walls just needed some washing, and everything else just needed some heavy dusting. I got some curtains, new sheets and I was finally able to feel at home. Tom saved me a huge headache looking for a place." Amelia walked over to the couch, and Raleigh followed sitting next to her.

They spent hours trading stories about family and how they ended up in their current situations. She learned he was 20 years old, only two years older than her. He was training with his brother in the Jaeger Pilot Program. He told Amelia of his parents and how his mother died of cancer, and his father abandoned them. She told Raleigh about the death of her family and her experience with the foster system from New York. They talked stories of their life with each other until a loud grumbling noise interrupted them. Amelia looked at the time only to realize it was well into the evening. They had spent all day talking on her couch. Thankfully, it was a Monday, and Tom kept the bar closed since there wasn't much business Monday and Tuesday.

"I can't believe we sat here all this time. You must be starving." Amelia got up and made her way to her fridge. "Can I interest you in some tacos?" she began to pull out some meat and other ingredients.

"Absolutely. I can help, it's the least I can do after you listened to me nag about my life." Raleigh looked at her, eagerly wanting to help.

"Sure, you think you can handle the stove?" she said with amusement.

"I can handle more than just a stove." Raleigh turned his back to her, putting the meat in the pan. She was floored at his response and wasn't sure how to take it. His words electrified her body. She couldn't stop staring at his back and noticed the muscles moving under his shirt as he broke up the meat. _Who knew cooking involved so much muscle work?_ Amelia snapped out of it, quickly turning to open the cheese, sour cream, and taco mix. She tried to busy herself finely cutting to tomatoes and lettuce, but her thoughts still couldn't let his words go. _This situation is not going to end well._

Amelia was rattled out of her thoughts when an arm reached around her to grab the taco mix. She was suddenly aware of how close Raleigh is behind her. _Oh, God_ Raleigh's chest grazed her back, and Amelia realized how small her kitchen became. She quickly moved all the ingredients onto a serving platter and brought it to her little table. Raleigh found a small serving bowl and put the meat into it so it can be easily accessible on the table. They both quietly put together their food and dug in.

Raleigh closed his eyes and moaned. Amelia nearly choked on her food at the heavenly sound.

"I can't tell you the last time I ate something so good. The garbage slop served at the dome taste like paper compared to this. So good." Amelia looked at him in amusement. She not up and walked to the fridge to pull out a couple of beers. She opened them both and put one in front of him. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"I think I died and went to heaven." Raleigh picked up the beer and downed it.

Amelia hasn't watched someone eat so much food in a long time. She ate a measly two tacos, and she lost count of how many Raleigh had eaten.

"Do they starve you in-between those training sessions?" She asked, sipping on her beer. "Tacos aren't exactly hard to make."

"You can tell when shit cooked in the microwave from a bag. This? This food is going to put me to sleep." He stretched over the back of his chair.

"I have a couch you're more than welcome to take advantage" Amelia began picking up the dirty dishes and washing them in the sink.

"I rather take advantage of your bed." The dish in Amelia's hands slipped and clattered in the sink. She flushed with his comment. She glanced back at him, not being able to respond. He got up and walked over to her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mea..." He didn't get a chance to finish. He was cut off by alarms.

Alarms. The Kaiju alarms.

He looked out the windows.

"Shit. I have to go." He grabbed his jacket and made for the door. He paused and backtracked to her at the sink. He grabbed her lightly by the arm and used his other hand to pull her face to him. He kissed her softly. "Thank you for today. I'll be back tomorrow." With that, he left, leaving her breathless in her little kitchen. She grabbed the towel from beside the sink and held it to her chest. Her other hand touched her lips where they were still tingling. Undeniably, she knew there was an attraction-she just wasn't sure if he felt it too. After tonight, that was no longer a question in her mind.


	3. Igniting Fire

**This chapter has been edited with Grammarly.

Disclaimer: Amelia, Tom, and characters from bar are all mine.

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Hello readers, I know it's been a long time since an update, but life and work take my time. I promise to do better and work on updating more frequently. Keep in mind this is my first story I've been making an effort to write. I'm trying to rush this beginning along to fast forward to my main point; it may seem AU-ish slightly. Also, keep in mind there's a reason this story is rated M. Thanks for staying with me! ANY FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED! I don't have a computer, so I'm doing all this on my iPhone. :(

Amelia couldn't sleep. With the combination of Raleigh's kiss and the thunder in the distance, her mind wouldn't stop running. Thoughts of possibly getting close to someone all over again engaged in a fear that wanted her to run. She didn't want that responsibility to another person. She spent too long building walls to protect her heart. She worked hard to put away the heart she always wore on her sleeve. How can one kiss to a guy she barely knew throw such a wrench into everything?

By the time Amelia finally fell asleep, the loud, obnoxious buzzing from her old clock radio jolted her awake. She laid in bed, stared at the white ceiling, and just let the bright morning sun warm her skin. Although the Alaskan air chilled her, she always found warmth in the sun. When she finally decided to get her day going, she got dressed and made some coffee. She went downstairs to prep the bar and turned her newly fixed tv on to have some background noise.

"BREAKING NEWS! In yesterday's Los Angeles' kaiju attack, the Jaeger narrowly made it out in one piece. Piloted by the Beckett's, the giant machine eliminated the unexpected Kaiju. It was a brief, successful battle, but the Jaeger has sustained an incredible amount of damage from Kaiju blood. It was able to reach the Los Angeles Shatter dome, where it was rinsed before any future damage was sustained. Stay tuned to hear how exactly the battle took place."

The television turned off with an audible click, and Amelia let out a sigh. Her brows furrowed together and her face became locked with concern. Frustrated with the confusion in her head and heart, she finally felt brave enough to leave the small comfort of her bar, hoping to go to the market for a distraction. She grabbed her bright pink magnetic note pad from her fridge and wrote down some essentials. She played with the idea of finally using her stove to make a get a good basket full of goodies for Raleigh.

 _What am I doing? I've only met him a handful of times._

She grabbed her coat and her bag and made stride toward the door with a new determination. The weather only made Amelia pull her coat tighter. The strong winds whipped pieces of an oncoming storm against her cheeks. Not being prepared for the rush of the wind, Amelia raced to the market to hide from the raging gust. Her hair circled her face making it difficult for her to see. Once she finally made it to the store, she adjusted her coat and grabbed a handbasket.

As Amelia walked through the aisles, she picked random items and would place them in her basket. Against her better judgment, Amelia even stopped by the baking section to try and make some treats when Raleigh and his brother come home.

 _They should come be coming home soon, right? It'll only be for a job well done for saving humankind. Yes, let me make baked goods for basically a stranger._

 _But ... are we strangers anymore?_

Amelia's thoughts drifted. She was torn. They spoke about their lives for hours, but does that constitute knowing someone? Everything seemed fine, and then the simplest of kisses turned everything upside down. It was a strange feeling that filled her heart with anticipation and anxiety. The reporter didn't mention the pilots were injured. Amelia was positive that they would have a few bruises, but considering what they went through, that was a miracle. She knew Raleigh wouldn't be back today. She worried for him, but isn't it too soon to worry about someone she's known for such a short time?

She felt the heat when he touched her. She felt naturally pulled towards him. She's never had such a reaction to someone like this before.

Amelia realized she was staring at the back of the pasta box for far too long.

 _Jeesh, when did I even get into this aisle?_

Putting the last few items into her basket, she headed to the front for check out. She walked by the cashier and started to place her items on the counter. She could feel the spot between her eyebrows become stiff with frustration.

I gotta stop thinkin' so hard about everything.

"MAM," Amelia jumped in surprise, bringing her attention to the frustrated cashier in front of her. She quickly looked to her side, seeing a line of equally frustrated customers.

"I'm sorry?" She quickly apologized and gave the money over. She grabbed her bags and rushed out of the store. Amelia walked down the deserted street, pulling her scarf and coat tightly around her body. She rushed to the bar seeking the warmth and protection it provided.

Once Amelia was able to unlock the door with shivering hands, she threw her body into the heat. She shut the door with a slam, locked it, and leaned against it breathing hard. Once Amelia collected herself, she started to make way to her dark stairs up to the apartment. She kicked off her winter boots and started to shed the many layers of warmth, shaking off the chill that still stuck to the clothing. She immediately reached for her oversized sweater. She stripped off her feet, the cold socks and tucked them into her warm, fluffy house slippers. Instantly feeling better, she went back to the kitchen to put away her groceries.

Amelia put the stovetop on and placed her tea kettle over the small flame. She glanced over at the baking materials she left on her counter, contemplating the decision to make the baked goods.

Fuck it.

Amelia started to grab bowls and spoons and placed them out on the countertop. She got to work, and before she knew it, her entire little kitchen was filled with cake and cookies. Amelia stood back, leaning against the counter covered in batter and looked at her work. She glanced over at the old clock on the wall and realized it was near 1 am; way later than she had hoped for. Gathering the used utensils and bowls and placing them in the sink for cleaning tomorrow, she grabbed the kitchen rag and wiped the countertops quickly, promising a scrub down first thing in the morning.

Amelia looked down at herself, realizing how much batter she was covered in. She stripped her clothes and made way to the bathroom. Amelia's thoughts finally drifted back to the blonde Jaeger pilot as she reached down to turn on the hot water. The baking had been the distraction she needed, but it seemed only to be temporary.

She stepped into the steamy shower letting the water roll over her. The thoughts of the kiss that Raleigh left her with had produced heat from within her body. She closed her eyes, drowning herself in how soft his lips felt against her own. She allowed her thoughts to wander and imagined the connection lasting longer.

Amelia lathered the soap in her hands and scrubbed her scalp. With her eyes still closed, she wished it was Raleigh's hands instead of her own tangled into the red locks. She grabbed her washcloth and watched as the soap slid slowly down her body. The thoughts of Raleigh in front of her turned a switch on. It was as if she forgot it was left off. She felt her nipples harden at the illusion of his hands on her body. If she wasn't already wet from the shower, she was sure she would've needed new underwear.

The steam was making it harder to breathe. Her lungs worked harder as the hot water rolled down her body. The feeling of her hand rubbing her breast and working its way down her body made Amelia realize that it's been too long since her last sexual encounter. She suddenly craved a man's touch, and her thoughts wildly reached to Raleigh.

Suddenly, it wasn't her hands on her body; it was his. She could feel the rough, calloused hands reach from behind her and around her waist. It rubbed along her stomach and across her navel until it reached her soft folds. She stabled herself against the tiles as his fingers grazed across her clit. His other hand came up her side to her breast as his head rested on her shoulder. Amelia felt his hot breath on her neck, and she felt herself get closer to that peak. His fingers danced on her clit, and Amelia moaned. His one hand was holding her back to his front as he worked harder and faster until she finally cried out as she spilled over the edge.

Amelia felt like she ran a marathon. Breathing hard and realizing the water turned cold, and she came to the hard realization that she was alone in the shower. She shut the water off, also noticing that her fingers felt numb from neglect. Its been so long since she last was with someone. She was with her high school boyfriend for nearly three years. When she turned sixteen, she asked him to be her first, and he happily obliged. They learned each other's bodies, and even as a teen, she enjoyed the normalcies that came with it. It took her out of foster living and into a world with teens discovering themselves. She loved him, and he loved her, but since he was on the verge of eighteen and going to college, they both agreed to part ways.

Amelia always felt more mature than the typical girl the same age. She graduated high school early but felt so restricted living in foster care. Amelia made to find her means of living. She was lucky enough to stay with some of her friends until she was able to get her ticket to Alaska.

So here she is, a mess over a young man she just met in a place she virtually knows nobody besides Mr. T.

Amelia, although physically satisfied, felt a strong headache from the mental exhaustion of overthinking. She grabbed some pajamas and made her way to her bed. Reaching for the covers, Amelia finally settled and rested against her pillow, hoping for a dreamless sleep. She finally felt herself dozing off, listening to the winds howl outside until she finally succumbed to the darkness.

 _ **BANG.**_

Amelia immediately jumped up. Doubts were filling her that the sound may be from natural causes when the banging continued. She grabbed her metal baseball bat from under the bed and headed towards her door. She opened her door only to hear someone shuffling downstairs. Creeping slowly down her stairs, she reached the bottom step when she lifted the bat, ready to swing. She walked towards the front slowly until a shadow walked quickly through the door.

The bat raised high over her head, getting ready to swing. Amelia reached over to feel for the light. She flipped the light on, causing the stranger to spin around. Just when she was about to swing, the hooded figure pulled down his hood and stepped back with hands raised in front of his body.

"Raleigh? What the hell?!" She immediately dropped the bad.

Raleigh attempted to shake the shock off. "Uhh.. hey. I'm sorry for coming so late. We just got back, and I couldn't stop thinking about you.

Distracted by his works, Amelia nearly forgot how he got into the bar.

Nervously, she found her voice. "Raleigh, as happy as I am to see you, how did you get in?"

He looked at her, confused. "The front door was unlocked."

Alarmed, Amelia went to the front of the door to check for any signs of break-ins. She walked around and checked the bathrooms and closets just to be sure. Raleigh picked up the bat and followed close behind her. With one last check to the safe, Amelia took a deep breath.

"That's odd. I'm normally very careful with things like that. You don't think someone was in here, do you?" Amelia's voice carried with concern. Raleigh didn't miss it.

"Usually, it's pretty tight nit here. The community doesn't have much crime. I wouldn't worry about it." Raleigh wasn't aware of any crime in the town, but that didn't seem to ease Amelia.

"I don't know, Raleigh. I can't remember if I accidentally left it open or not. I grew up always checking to make sure things are locked." Amelia was extremely troubled but went back to the door to make sure it was locked again. She stood there staring at the lock, daring it to move.

"Amelia, are you okay?" Raleigh was getting worried at her concentration on such a little thing. Though to Amelia, it wasn't a little thing. Growing up in New York always meant locked doors and even locked windows. She didn't grow up in the greatest of neighborhoods. Amelia knew the dangers that lurked around the corners in the dark. Her precaution did not change just because she was in another part of the world.

She was startled out of her thoughts when Raleigh spoke. "Yeah, I guess. I just could've sworn I locked the door."

He came over to her and wrapped his arms around her rigid body. He felt her relax a little but could still feel the tension. Raleigh released the hug but kept his hands on her waist. He looked at her eyes and was captivated by the blues and greens. He noticed she had a small brown dot on her iris. It was like a freckle on her eye. Her hair was messy from sleeping but framed her face in a wild array of messy curls. He pushed some of her hair behind her ear, and she relished the warmth from his hand as it brushed against her face.

Raleigh was the first to find his voice. "I uhh... I should go. It's late, and you should rest"

Amelia immediately felt panic race through her veins. The thought of being alone right now terrified her. What if someone broke in and would come back? Could she defend herself? She was pretty tough, but there are stronger and tougher people out there.

"You don't have to go. I mean.. I know we haven't known each other for long, but the open-door thing has me a little spooked. I would appreciate it if you could stay with me." Amelia usually took pride in defending herself, but she doesn't know what she would be up against. That unknown factor scares her to her core.

Raleigh looked at her and saw the fear deep in her eyes and watched as she wrung her hands back and forth.

"Yeah, it's okay, I can stay." Raleigh was put off guard as to why she was so on edge from the door being open. It wasn't that type of area for break-ins. He watched her sigh with relief when he agreed. "Great, let's get upstairs." He saw her glance back at the door one last time before making her way behind the bar to her stairs. He glanced at the door double-checking the lock, didn't move, and turned to follow her through the back.

He went up the stairs after Amelia. He was worried why made her feel so on edge. What did she go through to feel so afraid?

She walked past him to the small love seat with a pillow and blanket in her arms.

"I'll take the couch. You can have the bed," he looked at her and then at the small price of furniture.

Raleigh looked at her like she has fifteen heads.

"I'm not gonna kick you out of your bed. You're nearly as tall as me. You won't fit lying on that thing. Besides, I'll be up for a little while." Raleigh walks up to her and grabs the pillow out of her hands softly. He puts the pillow against the arm of the loveseat, plops down, and looks at her.

"Go, rest. I'll keep busy." Raleigh lifts a book Amelia is just now noticing.

"Is that.. my Harry Potter book?" She looked stunned as she tried not to burst into laughter.

He flipped the book over and looked at the cover. "Well, I guess it is" He kicked his feet up and leaned back, opening to the first page.

Amelia laughed out loud and walked over to the bed. She pulled back the blankets and sat against her pillows. She looked at Raleigh reading the old book. She took a mental picture secretly, hoping this will be the first of many. Amelia reached over and shut her bedside lamp off. The only light in her studio apartment is now coming from the small lamp beside the loveseat Raleigh was sitting on.


End file.
